Maverick (The Family Simon 3)

“I owe you,” he repeated.

She thumped him in the chest. “You. Owe. Me.”

“Four hundred and thirty-nine dollars,” he replied, his voice low.

“That’s just t

o start. I should charge you interest by the hour.”

His eyebrow shot up. “Interest? You’re getting greedy.”

“Sue me.”

“So we’ve got a problem.”

“You bet your ass we do.”

This had to be the hottest foreplay ever. He slid his hands from his pockets, blood boiling when her eyes rested on the growing bulge between his legs. No way could the thin material hide that thing, so he didn’t try.

“Well what are we going to do about that?”

“You tell me,” she shot back, breath catching in a way that made his gut tighten even more.

The devil in Maverick was telling him to scoop her up into his arms and bend her over the leather sofa. That guy was hard to ignore. She wanted him. He knew this. But, Maverick wasn’t that guy. At least not when it came to someone like Charlie. She deserved the truth.

“Look, Charlie. I gotta be upfront with you.”

“Oh how refreshing.” The sarcasm was heavy, but it came with a sultry look that made his mouth go dry.

“I want you,” he said carefully, searching for the right words.

“I know.”

“But…” He sighed. For a guy used to writing words and feelings into songs, he was falling short tonight.

“I don’t like playing games, Rick, so spit it out.” She licked her lips. Damn, but he wished she would stop that.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to get involved and that’s why I blew off tonight.”

“And why would you think that?”

“I’m just passing through, Charlie. I’m here for a few weeks, maybe a month, and then I’m gone.”

“And?” She inched closer and that sweet vanilla scent rolled over him. God, she smelled good. “You think that I’m going to fall in love with you? Is that it?”

For a few moments he had nothing. Shit, he hadn’t expected the L word to be thrown out. Hell, he hadn’t even considered that one.

“No, I just…it could get complicated.”

“How’s that?”

She was right there—so close to him that all he had to do was bend down a few inches and take the mouth that she was offering.

“I guess I don’t want you to think that there might be something more to this than…” Jesus. H. Christ. But it was hot in here.

“Then just sex?”

Her voice was low and throaty, conjuring images of naked flesh, smoke and mirrors. Maverick Simon couldn’t remember the last time he’d been this worked up over a woman.